Adil Najam
This picture just brought back a flood of memories.
This picture was taken in Peshawar in May this year. But it could have been me so many years ago. I remember that blue sweater, that tie that never kept in place (that is before the uniforms changed to ‘malitia’ shalwar qameez), those pale-yellow choona painted walls (or pale green or pale blue).
The only thing I do not remember is having that big a smile on my face for the morning ‘Assembly’, which I assume this may be. And speaking of smiles, is this not a wonderful, infectious, honest smile.
I wonder, however, what the ’266′ and ’306′ written in chalk on that desk signify? Any ideas?
Originally uploaded by annesh on Flickr.com, see here.

























































Ah ha….
And for a moment I thought we woudl not get out ‘picture of the day’ today!
I am shooting in the dark here but it looks like the kids were about to have a test of some sorts so the numbers might have served as indicators to their allotted seats.
Or they just might be their roll call ids.
….numbers are indicating their roll number or may be the markswhich they got in any recent assesment i think so
I certainly hope it is not the marks they got in a test. That would be poor taste. Maybe, roll numbers. Though I wonder why the numbers will be so high for kids this age.
Usually in Pakistan at this stage the first digit from the left indicates the class the kids are in. So I am guessing these are class 2 students.
“wonderful, infectious, honest smile”… doesn’t it make you feel better about the future of our world? And by the way, notice that only the two students in the front row are paying attention to the camera, rest are busy in their own world:) Just like we used to be in schoold days:)
The numbers are roll numbers, before some exam. Two student per table, so two numbers. That also explains the smile as exams mean a free day after a couple of hours instead of full, boring day sitting in the class room:)